Wednesday, March 12, 2014

A "headphone" experience at a live show.

The band is well known in the jam band
circles and often times have heavy sets that focus on crazy finger
tapping/virtuoso guitar playing. Toss in a fun cover (the band
teased Motley Crue's Dr.Feelgood on this tour stop), and two lengthy
sets and you get a good bang for the buck, but alas, there is now
more!

UM has started to offer fans a
“headphone” experience. For a few (that includes a download of
that nights show) fans can reserve on the bands web site headphones
that provide a board feed, wireless right to your very own head.

My concert partner was excited try them
out so he went ahead and put the money down. Early in to the set he
looked at me and said “this is so worth it!”. He offered the
headphones to be and I slipped them over my head and on to the ears.
A clean, PA feed suddenly filled my head. The small clip you can put
on your waist allows you to control the volume you want to hear.

They are not noise canceling
headphones, but the sound and experience is commendable. It seems
odd to go to a show and want to put on headphones but I assure
you..this worked. It really did. I could hear some of the ambient
noise of the club. You have all the visuals of lights and hot shot
rock star moves its just “clean”. Okay okay..I get it..you want
the beer bottles banging in the background and the people shouting
“freebird” well...I take that part back..but you are not all
alone. There was something about it that really felt “okay”.

I can see it not working for certain
bands, or your favorite band that you just love to go bounce around
to, but imagine the layers of Radiohead or Sigur Ros you can
experience. The quieter parts of post rock songs...imagine something
like “My Father My King” from Mogwai.

Sure he got some odd looks, but people
asked to try it out and each person, in just 20-30 seconds realized
it to be an excellent method of better “hearing” the the shows.

The $40.00 might have seemed excessive,
but its bands gear you are “renting” and you get a download code
with the show. If the bands don't do live show recording then a tour
poster or even a unique t-shirt might be a cool incentive.

So the next time you see someone at a
show, quietly rocking out with headphones, wave them down and see for
yourself. These people usually love the music they are there to see,
and would love for fans like you to experience what they are
experiencing.

Monday, March 3, 2014

Live Review - Caspian - The Middle East Upstairs March 2, 2014

Caspian

The Middle East (Upstairs)

Cambridge, MA

Sunday, March 2, 2014

Support - Junis

The number is now 18. I know there are
readers out there that have seen any band (usually jam bands) far
more often than 18 times, but its pretty great that a band you really
like you get the chance to see this often.

Each show has been as good, or better
than the last. They always seem to bring the their passion and drive
to the stage.

The band is back from a European run
and did a one off in New York the night before and before the week is
through the band is heading to Australia and the Philippines. Its
just amazing the sheer # of shows this band has played (over 600
now).

Taking the stage shorty after 10pm
the band opened with “Fire Made Flesh” and would unload an 11
song set that just never let up. Playing on the very very small
stage the band had to swerve and bob out of the way of guitar necks
and drum sticks. The stage was full with members, and the room was
just booming.

The sound was good, but the crowd was
packed in all you could do was rock in your own little space. Many
were simply lost in the music. Its always fun to scan the room and
see eyes closed, heads slowly swaying and smiles from ear to ear.

It is always a thrill to see the band
and they play each show like it will be their last, or someone is
going to take their instruments away. It just never lets up.

Try to see them, I say it all the
time..but do it. You can do it for cheap money still...so get on it
before I can say “I told you so”.